Project Wagtail
by Cirex Review
Summary: Primary Objective: Reverse engineer the technology discovered on Kamikura Island. Study the specimens discovered within the vessel. Secondary Objective: Defend the research from those who would take it by force. Added Objective: Rear the alien life forms known as "Sekirei"...


"Hello Commander. The Council is expecting your report on the discovery of the alien vessel."

Most people would be unnerved, talking to a man shrouded in shadow through a television screen.

For the Commander, this was just another day at the office.

"Yes Sir. As you are no doubt already aware, as of 1200 hours last Tuesday, one of our science teams led by Professor Hiroto Minaka discovered the alien vessel on Kamikura Island. I sent Alpha Squad to find a way inside and to secure the ship. But when Alpha, approached the vessel, a door just simply opened to let them in."

"So the crew just let your team in?"

"No Sir, there was no crew inside the ship. It was almost completely empty."

"What do you mean by almost?"

"Alpha discovered a... chamber, on board the ship. Inside was one unresponsive, but alive, adult alien in a tank of some kind, eight embryos, and one hundred fertilized eggs'. We designated that room "the Daycare".

"I see. Does the ship match with known UFO-classes?"

"No Sir; the ship isn't X-Ray technology. In fact the ship predates the X-Rays. We don't have any solid numbers yet, but Dr. Vahlen's team believes it crashed here either late BC, or early AD."

"What has become of the vessel now?"

"I deployed Beta and Epsilon squads to guard Kamikura, with Firestorms 1 and 2 flying patrols in its airspace. The JSDF are putting pressure on us to relinquish the island to them, and I fear they may blockade it."

"Do not worry Commander. The Council will order the JSDF to stand down. Continue with your report."

"Thank you Sir. Now, we are in a process of moving everything not nailed down to the Ant Farm. This includes technology such as-"

"Yes, yes. Your SOP for alien tech is well-known and does not interest the Council. We want to know what will be down with the aliens on board."

"Yes Sir. We are moving the adult, the embryos, and the eggs to the Ant Farm as well. Dr. Vahlen has assigned Dr.'s Sahashi and Asama to care for the specimens. With the X-Rays defeated we will focus on the Kamikura discovery."

"Excellent, that will be all for now Commander. Keep up the good work, and keep us updated on your progress. The Council and I look forward to the continued success of the X-Com Project. Goodbye."

"Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! Finally, we can get to work! Exciting isn't it Takami?"

"If you say so Hiroto."

Takeshi groaned at his colleague's antics. Hiroto had been giddy the past week, ever since he and Takami had discovered the alien vessel. Now, they waited for the first shipment of alien materials to arrive via Skyranger from the site on Kamikura Island.

Two months ago, the three of them had graduated from university, Hiroto at the top of his class, with Takami and himself not far behind. Almost immediately after graduation, they had been headhunted by their new employers, and had given them their instructions;

Find alien artifacts, and then reverse engineer them.

While Takami and he were hesitant at first, Hiroto couldn't have jumped on board fast enough. They had completed step one, no they were moving on to step two.

Well Hiroto was moving on to step two; reverse engineering the alien technology. Their new boss had decided that Takami and Takeshi would be working on the specimens recovered from Kamikura.

Now they stood in the hanger bay of the "Ant Farm", X-Com's supreme headquarters, built into a mountain in the Swiss Alps, waiting for the first shipment to arrive.

The large metal ceiling at the top of the hangar opened with a long grinding noise, drawing the three's attention.

"There it is!" Hiroto exclaimed in an almost singsong voice.

A large VTOL was in the process of descending from the sky to the hanger floor. This aircraft was called a skyranger, X-Com's preferred method of travel. However, this was a larger variant; capable of transporting more than just a squad of soldiers.

Slowly but surely it landed made its way down to ground level. Thirty seconds later, it was on the hangar floor, lowering its boarding ramp.

"Come my friends; let's see what they've brought us!" Hiroto said as he all but skipped to the skyranger. Takeshi and Takami, no less excited, followed him at a more professional pace.

No sooner had they closed the distance between them and the skyranger than the X-Com staff started unloading their precious cargo, mostly crates loaded with metal and electronics taken from the ship. What drew the trio's attention was the large pod being transported via S.H.I.V., it's weapon's system replaced with clamps to hold the tank.

Inside the tank was the single adult female, suspended in an amber liquid.

Walking beside it was Col. Andreas Bartlon, the American leader of the Psionic exclusive Alpha Squad. He was a large, tanned Caucasian, head shaved, clad in black Psi Armor. He was pressing his left hand against the tank, ready to "mind fray" its occupant at a moment's notice, while his right hand fingered his plasma pistol nervously. His eyes never left the alien within.

Behind him walked the rest of Alpha, and all had weapons and arc throwers trained on the pod. Takami backed off a little at the sight of all the firepower, while Hiroto smiled his insane grin.

Takeshi approached the Col. without fear, "Col. Bartlon?"

Bartlon tore his gaze away from the alien and to Takeshi.

"Is all this firepower really necessary?" Takeshi asked.

Bartlon made a face that suggested he thought Takeshi was stupid, "Yes."

"But she's in a pod Col. She's no threat to anyone."

"You haven't been here long have you grad boy?" Bartlon asked, completely deadpan.

"No, I'm new and-"

"Well let me tell you something newbie. X-Com SOP is to assume hostile unless proven otherwise."

He looked back at the alien and rapped his knuckles against the glass, "She has yet to convince me otherwise."

"Isn't it possible that she may not be dangerous? That her species isn't here to cause us harm?" Takeshi asked, puffing out his chest.

Bartlon shrugged, "Sorry kid, X-Com SOP is to always assume hostile. We know nothing about these aliens. For all we know, the second we let this one out of her tank, she massacres the entire base."

He tapped the glass again, "It would be easier to discover their intentions once we get past the language barrier. Right know all she knows is her alien language."

Takeshi blinked, "You've… taken her out of the pod? You've spoken with her?"

Bartlon smirked, and held out his left hand, palm side up, for all to see.

"No to the first-", purple energy erupted from his hand and from his eyes, as his eyes glowed purple. Takeshi stepped back, raising his arms to cover his face.

The energy disappeared from Bartlon's hand and his eyes stopped glowing, "As for the second… yes, in a matter of speaking."

The Col. put his hand back on the pod, and the S.H.I.V. started moving again, Alpha Squad following.

When they were out of sight, Hiroto started chuckling. Takami and Takeshi looked at him like he was crazy.

"What's so funny?" Takami asked him.

"I'm just happy." He said.

He gave his friends a sinister smirk;

"I'm just happy that I'm a part of _this_."

4


End file.
